]]>http://www.amanado.com/datos-basicos-de-colombia/rss-comments-entry-16204250.xmlColombian Factsbasic factscolombian factsfactsAmañadoSat, 05 May 2012 02:51:35 +0000http://www.amanado.com/datos-basicos-de-colombia/2012/5/4/colombian-facts.html1406694:16865670:16132822These are some of the basic facts about Colombia that I've noted:

Colombia's time zone is UTC-5 (Coordinated Universal Time). UTC-5, the time zone of Colombia , is the time zone used in Eastern Time during Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Central Standard Time (DST) during the summer schedule. The clock never changes (e.g., as a result of “Daylight Savings”).

As part of the zone of the Equator, Colombia has a tropical climate that includes heat and rain. The climate varies between the regions and cities in relation to the latitude and altitude. Medellin is known as “The city of eternal Spring”, and for the majority of the year it's temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius) with average humidity. Bogota; is less hot y Cali and the coastal regions are more hot. It's a good idea to have an umbrella with you in any region and a jacket with you in higher regions that have more temperature variation.

Although Colombia still has some dangers that one needs to be aware of, many regions are safe if one travels with caution, learns about the risks and annoyances, speaking with trustworthy locals and reading current material (e.g., interest groups, blogs, travel guides and government security notices), and takes the necessary precautions.

Besides traveling with caution and learning for oneself about the dangers and annoyances of the country by reading current material, speaking with trustworthy locals and taking the necessary precautions, some suggestions for traveling safely are:

Learning and communicating in the native language (including the local jargon, as appropriate)

Spending the majority of time with locals

Being respectful and patient

Assimilating oneself, not displaying objects of wealth or large amounts of money and maintaining a modest profile

Officially, Colombia is called the “Republica de Colombia”, and this official name appears on government documents, such as passports, ID's (referred to as “cedulas” in Colombia) and visas.

Colombia became independent from Spain in 1810.

Colombia is a middle power that has the fourth largest economy in Latin America and the third largest economy in South America.

More than 1.4 million square kilometers of Colombia's surface area corresponds to its contintental territory; and its remaining surface area, more than .9 million square kilometers, corresponds to its maritime extension.

Colombia is the only South American nation that has coasts on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Colombia is one of fourteen countries that is part of the zone of the Equator.

Colombia is the fourth South American nation for territorial extension (after Brazil, Argentina and Peru) and the twenty-sixth in the world.

Colombia is the third Latin American nation for population (after Brazil and Mexico) and the twenty-seventh in the world.